Happy Tails

HAPPY TAILS - Onyx is Forever Home

Onyx (ADOPTED!) is a 12-18 mo. old Australian Kelpie mix, weighing about 40 lbs. Although quite young, she has a very calm, regal personality. This is a dog who is quite relaxed and very easy to have around. Onyx is great with people and enjoys meeting them. She will greet you happily, while wagging her tail in slow, relaxed manner. Onyx has a very sweet and loving personality, but again, in a benign and elegant way. She is happy and content to be in your company and enjoys attention, but is not pushy about it. She is very polite and does not try to jump up on people.

Although we have only had her for a short while, we do know that Onyx is a very smart and attentive girl, who will learn quickly. She listens well and is very obedient. She walks very nicely on leash, and is excellent riding in a car. Onyx is also a very caring dog. She and Scooter - from different shelters - met for the first time while transported in the same car together (no crates). After they arrived, later that afternoon Scooter had a seizure. Onyx was kept several feet away on leash, and sat, quietly watching. When allowed, she approached and gently nuzzled and licked Scooter as he rested. She is confident when first meeting other dogs and will not become immediately submissive. After the first introduction, she is quick to become comfortable with other dogs. We noticed that she sometimes makes soft 'talking' sounds when meeting or communicating with other dogs.

HAPPY TAILS - Blue Has a New Loving Home

Blue (ADOPTED!) is one of three pups we rescued together. At 30 lbs. he is the biggest.

Blue came to us as the shyest and most timid of the three pups. Once feeling secure and comfortable in his foster home, he has come out of his shell in a big way. After his first bath, he went from 0 to 100mph rippin' and tearin' around the backyard into the house, back out into the backyard, all legs in the air dust flyin' behind him, hitting the hardwood floor, sliding 5 feet then doing the 'scooby do' to get traction to run right back out into the yard again.

He's a super love bug, and met new visitors by smothering them with hugs and kisses. He loves redecorating the house by moving shoes around, but hasn't chewed them yet. This super smart, and now very happy boy quickly learned "sit" and is learning to "come." He sleeps through the night, and has had no accidents in the house.

His confidence and personality is really starting to emerge now. He's not too mouthy. If you play hard with him - really wrestle - he'll start to use his mouth but has not been doing any heeling, yet. Sometimes he'll see his reflection in the windowed doors we have, or the fireplace doors and he'll growl and woof a bit. There's no food aggression.

His potential is huge, as he's so smart and very moldable right now. His adopters will have to be very dedicated to continuously devoting time to working with him, so he has the structure to turn into a great dog. If left to raise himself he could turn into quite the handful, because he's almost too smart, as we see signs, even now, that he's testing his limits. He's all boy, and very puppy with a ton of energy. He loves to play and we have to remind him to be gentle as he can get mouthy and pinch a bit now if not gently corrected. He'll fetch, and retrieve a ball, and let go nicely, but he's not obsessed about it.....yet.

In short, his foster mom says that "Blue is a dream boat."

HAPPY TAILS - Tiki Finds a Forever Home

Tiki (ADOPTED!) is a highly energetic and active 4 month cattle dog mix. She is long legged and slight and will probably top off at 25-30 pounds and 15-16 inches high. Tiki is extremely friendly with people and dogs, and is very loving with both the human and dog members of her family. She currently lives with a cat and 3 dogs (2 pit bulls and a scotty).

Tiki is super smart, eager to please, and learns very quickly. She has basic obedience (down, sit and stay) and is crate trained. She sleeps in her crate at night and can make it through the night. Her foster family says she is nearly housebroken, but they are still working on 100%.

As with all young dogs, Tiki will need a family willing to commit to exercise and training. Tiki loves playing tug and has immense prey drive. As a mostly cattle dog pup, she is very active, and will require an active household, with experience and dedication to channeling her energy and drive. She needs an experienced home willing to work on training and providing her structure and routine as she grows into adulthood. Several people in the sport dog world have commented that, in the right hands, Tiki would be a top notch sport dog.

HAPPY TAILS: Fry Now Part of a Ranching and Winery Family!

Fry (ADOPTED!) is now a vineyard and winery dog in Napa Valley! Now known as "Koa." He will follow in the footsteps of his new big brother, Cairo, and now has a huge extended family at the Gamble Family Vineyards!

He is one of three pups we rescued together. At 23 lbs. he is the smallest and thinnest - the small "Fry" of the group, but he is also the most loving and cuddly. He is very gentle and extremely friendly with all people, and seems to attach and look up to men especially quickly. He loves to give kisses. The size and puppyish look of all three, originally caused us to guess that they were 5-6 months old. Our vet says, based on their teeth, Fry and the other pups are more like 7-8 months old, and will be sort of mini Australian Cattle Dogs. Fry should get to 35 lbs.

Fry and his siblings were rescued from a situation, where they were extremely sheltered. He is still a bit unsure of himself and of all the new things he is experiencing. He needs exposure to new people, experiences and the outside world, in general. His new people will also need to help him build his confidence. He will bond quickly to his people and be your little shadow. Our small Fry is also great with other dogs and good with children. The only time he saw a cat, he didn't pay much attention to it. Fry is extremely smart and a little sponge, who observes everything. He learns very quickly, wants to be liked, and is eager to please. In the short time that we have had him, he has learned to sit, shake, lay down, has learned to walk nicely on leash and is 95% housebroken. He also rides very quietly and calmly in a car.

At this point, Fry is of moderate energy. As he settles and feels comfortable in a home and puts on a little weight, he may become more energetic. As a young pup, Fry is a chewer. He will need different chew toys to keep him busy, when left alone especially. Fry has shown a bit of herding instinct, and when playful will sometimes try to nip or peck at the back of your legs. For these reasons, although he sounds easy for a cattle dog, he is still a cattle dog, who will require an experienced home, with the ability to give him physical and mental exercise, training and structure that he will need to blossom into the great dog we see in him. He is not for a home that will leave him alone for 8+ hours a day.

HAPPY TAILS - Kingston Finds a Home with Tucker

King sit

Kingston (ADOPTED!) is a very affectionate, quiet and low key, 3 year old, cattle dog mix, 18" at shoulders, weighing 50 lbs., who will bond strongly with "his" person, who will always be a woman. He has a soft and gentle personality, and loves attention, but is not pushy about it. Kingston is extremely sweet and easy when meeting people, including children. When he gets to know you, he is very good at "checking in" and will stay close to you. Unless he goes everywhere with his person/people, he should be in a home with the company of another dog, who is calm and not in his face.

Kingston walks nicely on leash, is completely housebroken, knows 'sit' and will come when called. He is very obedient and will mind what you tell him. Kingston is a very quick learner, and very eager to please.

Our boy is a very sensitive and complex little soul. His original owner never took him out much, and basically left him and four other dogs in the backyard. When his owner had to give him up, he didn't eat for a week, and it took 3-4 weeks for him to be comfortable enough to begin playing and becoming more animated again. Although he is currently very reserved and low energy, when he settles into a home, he should be a moderate energy guy. Once he comes out of his shell, Kingston is a typical young dog, who loves toys, running and playing - especially playing ball, and chew toys to keep him busy. The person who cared for Kingston, before he came to us, said that he loves small stuffed toys. He would find them in her son's room and hide them away in a pile, only taking them out to play with and care for them. When he was done playing with them, he would return them to their hiding place.

Until his person gave him up, Kingston did not leave his yard very often. It was his entire world and safe place. For this reason, he is a bit unsure of himself when out in public and when meeting other dogs. Kingston needs socialization and exposure to new places and experiences, and to become more confident in new situations. He is fine walking with and being around other dogs, but doesn't like to greet or directly play/interact with them. When encountering other dogs Kingston is submissive and doesn't want any trouble. If a pushy dog is allowed to get in his face, Kingston may wrinkle his nose and then turn away. He would do well with another low key, easy dog.

As with most herding dogs, he will need people who can act as clear leaders to give him direction and teach him a routine. In the absence of someone to provide structure and rules for him, as a super smart herding dog, Kingston may begin creating his own rules on what is appropriate and what is not. He recently stayed in a home with children, and was allowed to decide what he wanted to do. He decided that one of his jobs was to keep a 7 year old in line. However, he respected a 9 year old in the same home. He is mostly fine with cats, but sometimes wants to chase.

Kingston bonds very strongly and the first week or so at a new home will be a very traumatic change for him. During this transition/adjustment period, he will need lots of companionship, attention, and management to reassure him that he will not be abandoned again. He also needs people who have the experience and willingness to take the time to teach him how to "be" and to have confidence in different situations. We have no doubt that with a little time, patience, love and instruction Kingston would become the best companion you could want.